Author Archives: debmcalister

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About debmcalister

I'm a Dallas-based marketing consultant and writer, who specializes in helping start-up technology companies grow. I write (books, articles, and blogs) about marketing, technology, and social media. This blog is about all of those -- and the funny ways in which they interesect with everyday life. It's also the place where I publish general articles on topics that interest me -- including commentary about the acting and film communities, since I have both a son and grandson who are performers.

ECPA Shows its Age as Google Wi-Spy Lawsuit Proceeds

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Way back in 1986, when digital communications was in its infancy, Congress passed the Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA).  Originally conceived as an amendment to the 1968 wiretap law, ECPA’s sponsors intended to cover new technologies like email and online networks. … Continue reading

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We Hold These Truths: Celebrating American Independence

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IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776 The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and … Continue reading

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Exceeding the Expectations of Large Customers

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Recently, I’ve been revising a chapter in the 21st Century Marketing book that David Coursey and I are writing.  Of all of the chapters in the book, it’s the one that’s had the most revisions and changes.  That’s because it’s about … Continue reading

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Me — on Fox News — oh, my!


Like most Americans, I try to keep a clear dividing line between my professional and personal lives.  It isn’t always easy, though, in an era where social media started as a consumer playground and evolved into a tool that any … Continue reading

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Twitter 101: Five Steps to a Great Twitter Experience

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One of my cousins said that he’d looked at Twitter, and it seemed to him like a bunch of 20-something people without dates sending messages to their friends about stuff he wasn’t remotely interested in.  I showed him my Twitter home … Continue reading

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Social Email: A New Role for an Old Favorite

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One of the fallacies of the high technology industry is that innovation is a linear progression, in which new technologies completely replace old ones.  That isn’t always the case. A number of smart companies are hosting cloud applications and virtual desktops on … Continue reading

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Secrets of Social Media Revealed — in 1966

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It seems that lately, everybody has been talking about Klout scores, and targeting social media influencers (individuals with large networks) to build awareness for brands. Finding and persuading those with high Klout scores and identifying the influencers has become the … Continue reading

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“Facebook Juror” Faces Jail — Defendent Goes Free

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A couple of months ago, I  wrote that jury duty has a new list of potential pitfalls for social media users.   Seems I overlooked one potential pitfall in that post.  This week, a juror in the U.K. was found guilty of … Continue reading

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Technogranny: Copyright and Social Media Rules


I was thrilled to have this blog featured on the Technogranny show this morning.  We talked about: Things you can’t say online (First Amendment limits) Keeping your job while having your say (Employee rights) Copyright issues for social media users … Continue reading

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Training: Step One in Preparing for a Social Media Crisis

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A couple of weeks ago, lawyers from up and down the Atlantic coast of the U.S. gathered at the Marriott Marquis in New York’s Times Square York City for the 23rd Annual Corporate Counsel Conference East Coast. Like attorneys everywhere, … Continue reading

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